Increasing interdisciplinary and experiential learning opportunities is a subset of our university's strategic plan for strengthening undergraduate education and student success. Something similar can likely be found in your school's mission statement as well. Study abroad experiences have long been a method for achieving this goal. But with the value of the dollar struggling against major currencies, affordable study abroad opportunities are becoming a challenge for many students. Need an alternative? Consider National Student Exchange.
National Student Exchange (NSE) is a not-for-profit, membership consortium of four-year public and private colleges and universities in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada which have joined together for exchanging students and sharing educational resources. As the only program of its kind offering tuition reciprocity across the United States and Canada, NSE is a valuable resource for expansive course and program exchanges, inter-institutional studies, field experiences, co-op, and internships.
Students on NSE find intellectual and personal growth in new academic and geographic settings. With 200 NSE exchange sites available in 48 states, U.S. Territories, and Canada, students develop a greater appreciation of people and cultures throughout the geographic area served by NSE. When you consider the great diversity found right here in the U.S. and that NSE serves a variety of special designation schools including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions, there are endless possibilities for experiential learning.
Students returning from exchange share that it takes stepping away from their comfort zone to really see their personal strengths. As a Midwest university, my students usually head to warmer climates on the east or west coasts. Their favorite exchange locations are California, Oregon, Alaska, New Mexico, and South Carolina, but our students have traveled to nearly every state since we joined the program. Students have found internship and job connections, linked to graduate studies, and taken advantage of travel throughout the country. One student found an agent while on exchange and was cast in commercials and a TV sit-com!
Incoming students to your campus also bring opportunity. They are eager to take advantage of your courses and extracurricular programs and bring a diversity of experience and background. By exposing your institution to new students in new markets, you are able to enhance your brand name among a new population of prospective students.
Our mission to provide experiential opportunities for students doesn't change during an economic downturn. National Student Exchange is an affordable way to enhance the options of your students and your institution.
